Issue 97: Jul 19, 2010 Connections Newsletter
Collaborative Planning
Debbie Cargill
Jul 19, 2010
How does an exemplary school use collaborative planning to increase achievement?
Exemplary schools provide opportunities for collaborative planning among teachers. Collaborative planning may be described as coming together during the workday to jointly plan units, lessons, and common assessments, as well as to connect research-based strategies to instruction. It is a necessary component for school reform. Because the LEARNING-FOCUSED Strategies Model is a planning model, it is critical that schools and administrators who are implementing the model make collaborative planning a priority. In addition to planning, this structured time allows teachers to share successful teaching strategies and resources, examine student work, and learn from each other.
Two challenges face administrators in regards to collaborative planning. One of those challenges has to do with time. How do we find the time for planning together? There is not a simple answer to that question. We know the adage - work smarter, not harder. But when it comes right down to it - time is always an issue. How do we adjust schedules to accommodate this planning time? Recognizing that it's worth the effort and will benefit teachers and students provides the incentive for being creative with the time available.
Different administrators have come up with different solutions. Here are some ideas and suggestions from administrators and the research:
• Build common planning time into the schedule.
• Set aside professional development days for collaborative planning.
• Replace faculty/staff meetings with planning time.
• Lengthen the school day 4 days a week with an early release on the 5th day for planning together.
• Buy release time with rotating substitutes.
• Re-do the schedule periodically, using art, music, and PE teachers to free up core content teachers for planning.
A second challenge of collaborative planning is maximizing teacher productivity. To fully utilize the time that is available requires some prior planning. Sessions must be structured in a way that allows for effective and efficient use of time. Some things to consider in "planning for planning:"
• Teams should have a common purpose and/or goals.
• Conversations should center on instruction and student learning.
• An agenda should guide the planning time.
• Identify specific roles for the team - facilitator, recorder, time keeper.
• Provide for accountability through expectations and monitoring.
One principal addressed some of these issues by serving as the facilitator of the collaborative planning time initially. She set the expectations for functioning as a team and for products expected as a result of the joint planning, then led the team through the process of planning. After a few sessions, teachers were ready to take on the responsibility themselves and selected a teacher facilitator to lead future sessions. Teams quickly became proficient in using their time wisely and producing exemplary lessons and units.
Despite the challenges, it is worth the effort to plan for and monitor collaborative planning in schools.
Common Core Standards Initiative Update
Bill Blynt
Jul 19, 2010
How do the Common Core Standards impact my curriculum?
After receiving over 10,000 comments on the draft K-12 standards released in March 2010, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) released the new K-12 standards for mathematics and English Language Arts in June 2010. The standards were developed in a collaborative process involving teachers, school administrators and content experts. The goal of developing these Core Standards is to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare current students for college and the workforce.
The standards developed define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education careers. Students who are able to develop these skills during their K-12 experience should be able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing college courses and in workforce training programs. According to the NGA Center and CCSSO, the standards are:
• Aligned with college and work expectations;
• Clear, understandable and consistent;
• Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills;
• Build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards;
• Informed by other top performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy and society; and
• Evidence-based.
The purpose of developing Common Core Standards is to ensure that all students have the opportunity to learn a common core of knowledge or develop a consistent set of skills no matter in what state they reside. Care was taken to ensure that items included in the standards would provide students graduating from high school what they needed to be successful in college or in a workforce preparation program. Significant attempts were made to benchmark the standards to international standards to ensure that our students are competitive in the global marketplace.
Currently each individual state will choose whether or not to adopt these common core standards. State reactions to the standards have varied from endorsement to opting out completely. Although states have the option of deciding what they will do, federal dollars may have a significant influence on a states ultimate decision.
The Common Core Standards are now in the LEARNING-FOCUSED Toolbox ready for you to prioritize and align!
For general information on the standards go to: www.corestandards.org
To download the standards go to: www.corestandards.org/the-standards
For key points for the ELA standards go to: http://www.corestandards.org/about-the-standards/key-points-in-english-language-arts
For key points for the mathematics standards go to: http://www.corestandards.org/about-the-standards/key-points-in-mathematics
